


We Keep Loving Anyways

by Potterhead2468



Series: And When Our Children Tell Our Stories [6]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alex and his anxiety have a fight, Also I ignore Aaron a lot I feel so bad, Also Thomas' parents come in., He needs his own story my poor child, James wants to protect everyone, John is a moody child sometimes, Lafayette pronounces Alexander as Alexandre, Lafayette verse gender is a go, Lafayette wins, M/M, Peggy loves makeup, Thomas is a good boyfriend, Washington's House For Gayward Kids gets its name, also, another encounter with Mr. Madison, just because I think it's the type of cute thing he would do
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-14
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-06-02 03:48:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6549328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Potterhead2468/pseuds/Potterhead2468
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to "Love Doesn't Discriminate"<br/>Mornings at the Washington's household are always interesting.<br/>Then, Thomas explains to his parents everything that has happened in the last 24 hours.<br/>Meanwhile, the boys and the Schuyler Sisters (and George) attend a protest.<br/>Then we head back to the Madison household, for another encounter with James' father.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This came sooner than expected. But it was T-Jeff's birthday, so I had to write him something. I figured since I wrote the first one for Madison's birthday, it makes sense I write the sequel for Jefferson's. 
> 
> If you haven't read "Love Doesn't Discriminate" yet I highly recommend you do, a lot of this story probably won't make sense if you don't.

When James woke up the next morning the first thing he was aware of was the warm body next to his, holding him tight to them. The hand rubbing small circles on his back, the hot breath hitting his face as whoever it was whispered quietly to him. It was Thomas, James realized, opening his eyes to see his boyfriend smiling down at him. He was fully dressed already, James noted, and his breath minty which meant he must have been up for a while now.    
  
"Good morning love." Thomas said quietly, leaning over to kiss James softly, his lips only lingering for a second before pulling away. "It's time to get up. Mrs. Washington is making breakfast now."    
  
"Mrs. Washington?" James asked, a wave of confusion washing over him, before it suddenly hit him where he was. And why. "So it wasn't a dream then."    
  
"I'm sorry James." Thomas whispered, pulling his boyfriend into a hug and kissing the top of the boy's head. "I wish it had been."    
  
"I don't." James replied after a moment, his words muffled by Thomas' chest but clear enough for the boy to understand. "I'm glad I told him. Even if he freaked out, at least we don't have to hide anymore."    
  
"I'm glad you're seeing the bright side in this." Thomas smiled slightly, placing one last kiss on the smaller boys head before rolling out of the bed. "Come on, we don't want to be late for breakfast."    
  
James sighed quietly, pulling off the covers and following Thomas, his head spinning just slightly when he stood up. When he stumbled Thomas caught him, chuckling lightly despite the concern on his face. "You okay Maddy?"    
  
"Yeah, yeah. Just stood up too fast I think." James replied, standing up straight when the world stopped moving and he could see again. "And don't call me Maddy, Jefferson."    
  
"You love it when I call you Maddy." Thomas grinned, kissing James on the nose before turning and walking towards the dresser. "Aaron got some of Hamilton's clothes for you to wear, he's the smallest one here they should fit you. There's toothpaste in the bathroom, and the toothbrush I used is on the counter. We'll get you your own today, don't give me that look. You kiss me all the time anyways."   
  
"Yeah no idea why though." James teased, taking the clothes from Thomas and giving his boyfriend a quick kiss before walking heading towards the bathroom.    
  
"You love me!" Thomas called as James closed the door, walking until he was close enough to the bed so he could easily fall onto it. He was still tired, having not gone to sleep until late and waking up early because he was worried about James. Lying there, his eyes closed, Thomas just about to drift back into sleep when his phone buzzed.    
  
Sighing a little too dramatically, he reluctantly pulled his phone from his pocket, quickly unlocking the phone when he realized it was his father texting him, asking if Thomas was going to be coming home today. As he typed back a yes, another text came through, this time asking how James was and if he was going to be coming with Thomas. Now Thomas paused, because he wasn't actually sure if James wanted to come with him. After everything that happened yesterday, he might not want to go out. Especially not to the Principal's house.   
  
"Hey James!" Thomas yelled, throwing a pillow at the door intending to get his boyfriend's attention. "James I need to as-"    
  
Thomas was cut off as the door flew open, revealing a slightly annoyed, completely shirtless, James. "What do you want Thomas?"    
  
Thomas stuttered for a moment, caught off guard by his boyfriend's lack of shirt,  but finally he managed to get out "I-I was just wondering if you wanted to come with me when I go home."   
  
James smiled, rolling his eyes as he pulled his shirt over his head, amused by the effect he still seemed to have on his boyfriend. "You're drooling. But yes I would."    
  
Even though he knew the boy was teasing Thomas still wiped his mouth, much to James' amusement, and quickly typed out a response to his dad.   
  
"You still have some of my things at your house, right?" James asked, walking over to the desk where he spotted his own phone. "Like clothes and stuff? Because even Hamilton's pants are too long for me."    
  
"Yeah there's a few things." Thomas said, standing up and putting his phone in his pocket, smiling softly at his boyfriend. "You are adorably tiny, you know."    
  
"Maybe you're just really tall." James replied, pocketing his own phone and walking over to Thomas, grinning slightly. "Now then, I believe you promised me breakfast."    
  
"Ah, no actually I said there was breakfast. I never said you were getting some." Thomas teased, taking his boyfriend's hand as they walked out the door and down the hallway. James smiled more, swinging their hands in between them, giggling quietly to himself as he did so. "What's so funny Maddy?"    
  
"I've just always wanted to hold your hand in public. And I guess I'm just really happy I can now." James confessed, blushing slightly as he looked down at their intertwined hands. "I know it's stupid, we're even really in public anyways."    
  
"It's adorable." Thomas cut him off, kissing his boyfriend's forehead lightly before leading him into the kitchen. "And a little dorky. But in the good way."    
  
"Your face is dorky Jefferson." Alexander muttered from his place at the table, not looking up from his stack of pancakes and more importantly papers spread on the table beside him. "And not in the good way."   
  
"Ignore him. Alex is incredibly angry until he has had at least 3 cups of coffee." Aaron said, rolling his eyes at his foster brother, scooting over so James and Thomas could join them at the table.    
  
"He is only on cup two." Lafayette added, bring over another full cup of coffee to Alex along with his morning medicine. "He is also breaking the rules of no work at the table and he knows The General is going to be upset if he sees."    
  
"You better hide it quick then, he was just about to come downstairs." Peggy informed Alex, skipping into the room her hair soaking, flinging little drops of water everywhere as she moved.    
  
"Shit." Alexander muttered, the words registering a second too late. Before he had time to react George was walking into the room, his smile fading into a frown as his eyes landed directly on Alex.    
  
"Alexander what are you doing?" Sighing, George walked over to the boy, holding his hands out for the papers. Reluctantly Alex handed them over, his eyes following them as Washington placed them on top the fridge, well out of reach. "We've talked about this. Absolutely no work at the table."   
  
"But sir, the rally, I need-" Alexander started, about to protest until he saw the look on George's face. There was no way he was going to get the man to budge. Sighing frustratedly, Alex ran a hand through his messy hair, a wave of panic and stress settling over him. Beside him John took his other hand, prying his fingers apart to shove the pills into his boyfriend's hand.    
  
"Love, take your medicine. It'll help." John said softly, scooting closer to his boyfriend to lay his head Alex's shoulder, so he could speak low enough only they could hear. "Then finish breakfast. Finish your coffee. Get dressed, get ready. Then you can have your papers back."    
  
Alex frowned, looking from his basically untouched pancakes down to his clothes then up to John, who was giving him a very serious but tender mom look. "We've got it handled, Alex. Everything is going to be fine, I promise."    
  
"No it's not John." Alex snapped, pulling away from his boyfriend angrily. "I haven't checked on this rally all night, haven't even had my phone to check if something went wrong. And I still have to type up two speeches, edit them, and print them off in the next three hours."    
  
Alexander stood up from the table now, clenching his hands tightly at his side, the pills in his left hand digging into his skin just a little. "I'm getting my computer from your room Lafayette. I don't have time to wait for this."    
  
He stormed out of the room, leaving the table silent. John got up to follow him, but Lafayette had beat him to it. Was standing up before Alex even got down the hall and was at the fridge, grabbing the papers with minimal struggle. "I am sorry, General, but Alexander needs these right now."    
  
Grabbing an apple from the basket and Alex's unfinished cup of coffee, he followed the boy at a slower pace, careful not to drop anything.    
  
"Well James, welcome to the Washington household. Where Alex has morning outbursts about once a week." Aaron said after a moment, trying to lighten the mood just slightly. "If not him then someone. But it's usually Alex."    
  
"And it's never you, is it Burr?" John rolled his eyes, looking pointedly at Aaron's hand as he continued. "Though clearly you do lose your anger sometimes."    
  
"How is your hand anyways?" James asked, glancing down it. Even in the cast it looked swollen slightly, and when Aaron moved it a flash of pain ran across his face. "I'm really sorry Aaron, I never meant for you to get hurt going over there."    
  
"It's not your fault James." Thomas and Aaron said at the same time, Thomas squeezing James' hand once to reassure him whilst Aaron just smiled.    
  
"It was just as much for me as it was for you." Aaron added, glancing towards Washington before he continued. "I've wanted to punch him for a few years now. You just gave me an excuse."   
  
"Just don't let it become a habit Aaron. Lord knows Alex gets in enough fights." Washington said, his voice serious despite the slight smile on his face. Martha rolled her eyes beside her husband, smacking him lightly on the arm.    
  
"Dear, that's not why he shouldn't be fighting." Martha sighed, smiling exasperatedly at George before turning towards Aaron. "What your father is trying to say, Aaron, is that you shouldn't fight because violence is bad and never the answer. Isn't that right honey?"    
  
"Hmm? Yes, whatever you say dear." George smiled, glancing up from his plate to find Martha staring him down, waiting for him to saw something else. "Oh, right. Aaron, your mother is right. You should never fight someone. Even if they deserve it. That goes for all of you, even you James. No fighting, understand young man?"    
  
Washington looked at everyone one of the boys, his eyes landing on James as he finished. "Yes sir, I understand."    
  
"No fighting except for Alex, right?" John muttered, angrily stabbing his pancake and shoving a piece in his mouth.    
  
"Ignore John, he's just worried about his boyfriend and so is acting like a little bitch." Hercules said calmly to James, giving the boy a quick smile before turning and throwing a grape at John's head. "Alex is going to be fine you twit. Stop taking your feelings out on the rest of us. Laf can handle him better than anyone."    
  
John grumbled something under his breath, flipping Herc off when neither Washington was looking before going back to moodily eating his breakfast. Satisfied, he turned back towards James and Thomas to add "Speaking of handling things, tomorrow we're going to handle the situation of reclaiming your things from your father, Madison."    
  
"Mr. Washington has agreed to drive us over there, and escort us in gathering your belongings." Thomas explained, seeing the confused look on James' face. "And by us I mean you, me, Hamilton, Lafayette, Mulligan, Laurens, and Angelica."    
  
"We decided it would be safer if Aaron didn't come." George added, looking first at James then to Aaron, who looked mildly annoyed by the fact. "It's not because I don't think you can handle yourself, Aaron. It's just you already broke one of your hands punching the man, you don't need to hurt yourself anymore."    
  
"Which is none of you should be going over there." James interrupted, looking around the table, his eyes wide and maybe slightly panicked and scared, but his voice firm. "None of you need to be risking yourself for me. My father is an awful man Mr. Washington, he hates everything that all of you are. I don't want any of you getting hurt for me."    
  
"James-" Thomas started, placing a gentle hand on his boyfriend's non-bruised arm, ready to reason with him. But before he could James was cutting him off.    
  
"No, Thomas. You saw my father. You especially shouldn't be there, he hates you as much as he hates Aaron." James sighed, turning towards his boyfriend and practically begging him to see reason. "Please Thomas. You know how much he hates people like you and I. I can't put them in that kind of danger."    
  
"Mr. Washington," Here James turned his head towards George, continuing "Sir, I think it would be much wiser if I just went and collected my things on my own. This way there is no worry of others getting hurt."    
  
"I'm not letting you go back there alone." George said seriously, frowning at the boy, resting his head on his folded hands in front of him. "Maybe it's not wise to drag the whole rally of people though. It may be safest if just you and I go."     
  
"Mr. Washington, with all due respect sir, I still think that Laf and I should go. The two of us are in no real danger from Mr. Madison." Hercules said looking between James and Washington. "The more hands you have, the quicker we can get out."    
  
"There's no way Alex would let Lafayette go into a potentially dangerous situation if he's not with him." Eliza said from the end of the table, looking up from her conversation with Angelica to frown at Hercules. "You know how protective he is over him."    
  
"And I'm not letting Alex go anywhere without me." John put in, crossing his arms stubbornly, staring at Washington directly as he spoke. "He is reckless and I am not going to let him hurt himself with me there to help him."    
  
"James it seems the only people you've cut out is Thomas and Angelica." Aaron said, raising his eyebrow at the boy slightly amused. "Your protest really don't mean much here, not on this subject."    
  
"Like hell he's cut me out." Thomas muttered, a frown on his face. "I'm his boyfriend, if anyone should be there protecting him it's me."    
  
"You're not cutting us out either." Eliza added, sharing a look with Angelica, who was nodding her head in agreement. "Just because we're girls doesn't mean we're any less capable of helping."   
  
"If anything we're more capable because we can keep you boys in line." Angelica agreed, looking first at John then at Washington. "Mr. Washington you're not counting me or Eliza out of this."    
  
"I believe it is up to James what we do, Angelica. It is his father after all." Washington replied, glancing at James before settling his eyes on Eliza for a moment. "Though Eliza I am curious as to when you decided to get involved in this. You said earlier you didn't want to be."    
  
"Sometimes you have to put aside personal wants and beliefs for your family." Eliza told him, looking directly at James when said the word family, a smile on her face. "James, you are part of our family now. And families take care of each other. So let us take care of you."   
  
"Love, you don't have to do this alone." Thomas whispered softly, squeezing James hand once to reassure the boy. "Please. For me?"    
  
"Thomas..." James sighed, turning towards his boyfriend so that he could look at him, their eyes meeting instantly. "I can't just let you and the others walk into what's most likely going to be a dangerous situation. Just for me? I'm not worth that."    
  
"You are worth that and so much more." Thomas replied swiftly, leaning to kiss James for a moment before pulling away and resting his forehead against the boys. "I would catch a grenade for you. Throw my hand on a blade for you. I'd jump in front of a train for you. You know I'd do anything for you."    
  
James burst into giggles, shoving Thomas away, cutting his boyfriend's very awful singing off and causing the boy to break out into a wide grin. "Thomas, really?"    
  
"You love me." Thomas replied, his grin fading into a more serious look as James calmed down. "I'm serious though James. I love you, please, accept the help. I don't want you hurt."   
  
James frowned, clearly thinking on Thomas words. His eyes wandered to every person at the table, from Eliza's sweet smile to Washington's stern face to John's angry everything to finally back to Thomas' loving eyes, who were pleading with him to just see his side. "You're not going to do anything irrational, right? Won't start a fight."    
  
"As long as he doesn't try anything." Thomas said, not wavering when James raised an eyebrow at him. "If he tries to hurt you James, I'm not going to stand by and let him."    
  
"Why are you so stubborn?" James sighed, still frowning slightly. Thomas stared at his boyfriend unamused, a challenge dancing in his eyes. 'Why are you?' Reluctantly, James turned away from Thomas, looking towards Washington, finally giving in. "Fine. They can come. Not like there's much I can do to stop them anyways."    
  
"No there's not. This family does not know the meaning of no, I'm afraid." George agreed, smiling just slightly. "Especially on an issue such as this."    
  
"You'll get used to it, don't worry." Aaron assured him, also smiling just a bit. "You'll fit right into the Washington household in a few weeks, just you wait."    
  
"You're already a good ways there." Hercules teased, looking between Aaron, John, and James. "I mean you have the tragic backstory and the strong need for a loving parental figure to guide, that's practically all it takes."    
  
"And not being straight." Thomas added, at first joking until a very sudden realization hit him. He gasped, his eyes widening as everyone looked towards, and in a dead serious whisper he said "Washington's House For Gayward Children."    
  
Hercules and Peggy simultaneously burst into laughter, Eliza giggled quietly, Angelica and Aaron were sharing exasperated looks, even John was smiling slightly. George looked highly amused and chuckled quietly, saying something to Martha only she could hear, making her face widen into a grin as well. James was shaking his head at his boyfriend, and Thomas himself seemed highly amused by the joke.    
  
"That is solely how I'm referring to you guys now." Hercules said as he started to calm down, only to meet eyes with Peggy and send them into another fit of laughter.    
  
"Don't encourage him Mulligan." James groaned, looking over at Hercules in mock distress as Thomas' grin grew wider. "I'll never hear the end of it."    
  
"You're just jealous you didn't come up with it first." Thomas replied smugly, finishing the last bite of his pancakes before standing up, gathering both his and James' plates. Walking around the table, he moved until he gathered everyone's empty plate, only leaving the places of Alexander and Lafayette with food.    
  
"Thomas, dear you didn't have to do that." Martha told him, smiling just slightly as she watched balance the plates as he headed to the sink. "You're our guest, the boys should be the ones cleaning up."    
  
"My mother raised me to be a gracious guest, ma'am. And to clean up after myself." It was easy to forget that Thomas was originally from the south, that he lived in Virginia for the first 13 years of his life. His accent was pretty well hidden, but sometimes it still shine through. Like whenever he said ma'am. "It's the least I can do after all you're doing for James."    
  
"It's nothing at all dear." Martha replied, first smiling at Thomas than James. "Taking care of others is what George and I have always done for a living."    
  
"You know, I think you would get along with my mother quite well, Mrs. Washington." Thomas said, walking back to the table, stopping behind James but not sitting down, instead settling for placing his hands gently on the boy's shoulders.    
  
"If she's raised a fantastic boy like you Thomas, then I'm sure I would." Martha shared a look with George before continuing "When you go home, ask your parents if they would like to join us for dinner Tuesday. Before George has to go back to work."   
  
"I'll be sure to ask them ma'am." Thomas nodded, tightening his grip on James briefly before letting go, backing up so that he could pull out his boyfriends chair properly. "Speaking of which, we should be going. I promised my dad we'd be over early. He's got a meeting this afternoon, and we need to talk before he goes. Shall we James?"    
  
James smiled, linking his arm with the one Thomas offered, allowing himself to be formally escorted from the room. Before they were all the way out, George was standing up, clearing his throat to call them back.    
  
"Thomas make sure you have him home before dinner, that's 5:30. You understand young man?" He held all the formality of a father, and it made James smile just slightly.    
  
"Yes sir. I promise." Thomas agreed, nodding his head. "He won't be a second late."    
  
"I hope not. Good luck boys." George smiled, sitting back down in his seat, an indication the boys were free to go.   
  
"Thank you Mr. Washington." James said quietly, giving the man one last grateful smile before following his boyfriend out of the room. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So one of you commenters (Thank you RebleReble13) informed me that Alexander and Alexandre were in fact two completely separate names, which of course makes total sense but you know I just wasn't thinking. So I've gone back and changed it. The reason, however, the Alexander's name always appears in Italics when Lafayette says it is because Laf still pronounces it at Alexandre. And so I wanted to put an emphasis on that. It's like super important in the grand scheme of things, but to me it is because well it's something Laf started when he hardly knew any English and so now it's more of a comfort thing.   
> Just know that whenever you see Alexander in Italics, that's just Lafayette pronouncing it as Alexandre.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lafayette and Alexander have a chat.  
> Thomas goes home, James freaks out a bit, and we meet the rest of Thomas' family.  
> Also, prom proposals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long but I had like three projects at once last week and had very little time to write. In fact, I wrote most of this Friday night when most people were at prom and I was at home. Hence the prom proposal, which for some reason are a really big deal.  
> And in case anyone was wondering, James drives a black Cadillac Escalade.

By the time Lafayette caught up with Alexander, the boy had found his laptop and was frantically typing on it, sitting crossed legged on Lafayette's bed. His brows were furrowed in concentration, bent over his laptop as he chewed on his lip. He didn't even notice Lafayette enter, didn't even glance up for a second even when Laf took a seat next to him.   
  
" _Alexander_." Lafayette said softly, placing one hand on the boy's arm in an attempt to grab his attention. "Please mon petit. Talk to me, just a moment."   
  
Alex didn't respond, showed no sign of even noticing Laf except for a slight pause when the boy grabbed his arm. Lafayette sighed, chewing on his own lip for a minute trying to decided what to do. Because the last thing he wanted was to upset Alex even more. But he needed to talk to him.   
  
"I am sorry." Laf apologized, gently closing the laptop on Alexander's hands for a moment, finally drawing the boys attention to him. The first thing he saw was a flash of anger in his eyes, followed by panic. "I know you have a lot to do _Alexander_. Please do not give me that look, I am only trying to help. Will you just listen to me for a minute?"   
  
"Did you take your medicine?" Alex frowned when he heard Laf's question, because he didn't honestly know. He remembers John giving him the pills, and he knows he had them when he left the dining room, but he had no idea where they were now. He had to have taken them, right? Where else would they be? " _Alexander_ you know it helps. You need to take them."   
  
"I... Think I did." Alex replied finally, still frowning as he looked down at the laptop then back at Lafayette. "I can't remember."   
  
" _Alexander_ ," Lafayette sighed again, shaking his head exasperatedly at the boy as he climbed off the bed and searched around the room to see if he could find the pills. "I do not see them, I assume you did. How do you feel?"   
  
"Terrified. Stressed. Worried. Like I need to get back to work because I have a lot to do." Alex answered slowly, trying to match his emotions to his medicine, much like Lafayette was, to see if he had really taken. "But it's not overwhelming. My brain is only slightly clouded."   
  
"You must have took them then." Laf said decidedly, coming to sit next to Alex again. He picked the apple off the table where he had set it when he first came in, and gently pressed it into the hands of his foster brother. "Eat. It's not healthy to have that medicine in you with no food. I was going to give you this coffee, but seeing the state you are in it may not be the best of ideas."   
  
Alex frowned slightly as Lafayette removed the laptop from his lap, wanting to grab it back and continue typing. Instead though, he forced himself to take a bite of the apple.   
  
"When you finish that you and I are going to finish this work. I have your papers," Here Laf reached to the table again, grabbing the stack of papers and setting them in his lap. "I do not know what all this means, of course, but I can type up The General's essay for you at least. And I will ask Angelica for a full status report on the rally."   
  
Lafayette paused, pulling out his phone to do just that as soon as he finished speaking. "As of last night everything was okay, I remember that. But it still cannot hurt to check again."   
  
"Laf, you don't have to do this. I can take care of myself." Alex said, taking the last bite of his apple before tossing the core towards the trash can. And missing. "Fuck."   
  
"I know mon petit. But I can not watch you run yourself into the ground." Lafayette replied seriously, handing Alex his laptop and standing to grab his own. "Besides I am currently not speaking to Hercules anyways."   
  
Alexander raised an eyebrow, a silent question as to what had happened. Lafayette sighed, taking his seat again frowning slightly. "He said that it was impossible to change my outfit for the rally last minute. I wanted a skirt instead of pants, but he told me he did not think he has time."   
  
"I know it is not his fault _Alexander_ , do not give me that look." Laf huffed, crossing his arms as Alex stared him down, unamused. "But I am still upset is all. All the princesses yesterday made me want a skirt. Or a dress perhaps."   
  
"Don't you own some?" Alex asked, glancing up towards Lafayette from his laptop briefly, his fingers still flying over the keys. "I thought you had at least two skirts."   
  
"They do not go with my outfit, mon ami!" Lafayette exclaimed dramatically, falling backwards on the bed. "And I cannot just go buy one. Only Herc's fit me correctly."   
  
"I'm sorry Lafayette. But you know it takes time to create something. You know if he had the time, Hercules would make one for you." Alex assured him, grabbing Laf’s hand to pull the boy back up, placing a light kiss on his forehead when he did so. “You’ll look beautiful in whatever you put on, I promise.”   
  
“I suppose you are right.” Lafayette agreed, opening his own laptop so that it could boot up and he could help Alex. “But next time I will get my skirt, mon ami.”   
  
“I know you will Laf.” Alex smiled fondly at the boy, searching through the stack of papers until he found Washington’s speech. “But for now, how about we work on getting this rally done.”   
  
“Of course _Alexander_.” Lafayette nodded, taking the papers from Alex as a new word document popped up. “Where do you want me to start?”

* * *

Thomas drove. James’ black eye made it difficult for him to focus too long anything, and anyways the boy was feeling too nervous to drive. It was the first time they would be coming out to the Jefferson’s, and whilst realistically he knew they wouldn’t take it bad, after yesterday part of him was still pretty skeptical. So Thomas drove. One hand on the wheel, the other holding James’ to comfort the boy. James himself had the window rolled down, and was taking deep breaths of the fresh air like maybe it would somehow calm him. Not that it was working. 

  
“James, I’m like 85% sure my parents have been conspiring ways to hook us up anyways.” Thomas was trying to be  reassuring, trying to calm James down as they pulled up in front of his house, and the car shut off. “There’s like no chance they won’t support us completely.”   
  
“But my father...” James frowned, his eyes drifting down to the bruise on his arm, the one that looked exactly like a hand, a reminder of the previous day. His father’s words started flashing through his head, and he yanked his hand away from Thomas, like it was hurting him to even touch the boy. “They’re going to hate me Thomas.”   
  
“They could never hate you.” Thomas said firmly, turning so that he was facing James, so that he could see the war going on across the boy’s face. Gently he placed a hand on the non-bruised side of his face, rubbing his thumb softly across James’ cheek. “Love, you can’t listen to what your father says. Excuse my language, but he’s a dick James. And he is absolutely wrong.”   
  
“I just can’t stop seeing him. It keeps replaying, over and over, his face yesterday as he screamed at me. His words keep replaying in my head and he just Won’t. Shut. Up.” James exclaimed, his voice breaking at the end of his sentence. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying desperately not to cry. "Why won't he just shut up Thomas?"   
  
"Oh James." Thomas sighed softly, picking James up and scooting over so they were both sitting in the passenger seat, James in Thomas’ lap. "My love, look at me."   
  
"I can't make your father go away. I'm sorry, it's just not something I can do." James whimpered very quietly, burying his face in Thomas' neck rather than meeting his boyfriend’s eyes. "All I can do is fill your head with loving thoughts, with sweet kisses and soft words. I can't make him go away but I can do my best to drown him out."   
  
"I don't want to bother you though." James whispered, his words muffled but still clear enough Thomas knew what he was saying. "Having to constantly reassure me will get annoying Thomas."   
  
"James Madison, look at me." James lifted his head slowly, reluctant to meet his boyfriend's eyes, afraid of finding annoyance filling them. He was shocked by only the love and care that shone through instead. "You could never annoy me. I love you, okay, more than anything else in this world. I want to be happy, and if that means I need to remind you a thousand times a day how much I love you and how amazing you are, then I'm willing to do it."   
  
"I love you too Thomas." James replied quietly, staring now at his boyfriend with a sort of awe. "You're too good for me. I don't deserve you."   
  
"Maddy, love I'm the one that doesn't deserve you. You are so strong, so brave. You're beautiful inside and out, your mind like a work of art I don't always understand. You're quiet and you're sweet, a little shy. You keep me honest." Thomas rambled on, grinning as a blush crossed James' face. "You make me a better person. You're a beautiful cinnamon roll, too good for this world, too pure. Too good for me."   
  
"Thomas!" James exclaimed, laughing lightly as he playfully swatted his boyfriend's chest. "You are so cheesy oh my god."   
  
"My son is, in fact, made at least half out of cheese." They both jumped as the voice of Mr. Jefferson floated in the open window. James yelped slightly, twisting his head quickly towards the sound of the voice, his eyes landing on Mr. Jefferson, who stood at the front of the car. A surge of panic flashed through him, a flashback to the day before, to a situation very much like this one. When his father found them in the car, Thomas holding James similar to how he was now. Only his father was yelling, and Mr. Jefferson seemed fairly calm at least.   
  
But that didn't stop James from shaking. From being on the verge of a panic attack. His breathing was speeding up, he could feel his heart racing, felt like someone had arms around his throat and his chest and-   
  
Thomas. That's what it was. Thomas. It vaguely registered in James mind, that his boyfriend was holding his shaking frame, his arms wrapped tightly around the boy adding pressure. Not the anxiety, but a living, breathing, being, who was holding him for comfort. For support. Who was whispering in his ear.   
  
"Love, hey. Hey, shh, it's okay. Look at me, come on James, look at me." Thomas' voice was enough to call James back to reality, at least slightly. Enough for him to make eye contact with Thomas. "Breath with me, okay. In, then out. In, then out."   
  
James had had enough panic attacks by now that Thomas knew what to do like it was second nature. Usually they happened during exam week, when his boyfriend was under extreme stress. He knew the easiest ways to calm James down was to breath, talk softly, match heartbeats. To stare into his eyes with a calm reassurance. To be there.   
  
"I'm sorry." It was the first words James got out, his breathing still uneven, his heart still a little too fast. "I'm sorry Thomas. I-I just, I started thinking about yesterday and my father a-a-and–"   
  
James' words broke off into quiet sobs, and Thomas pulled him closer, rubbing his boyfriend's back softly in an attempt to calm him down. "No no no James, this is not your fault okay? You did nothing wrong, my love. Nothing at all."   
  
Mr. Jefferson was still lingering at the car, watching and listening to the exchange with wide eyes, a sympathetic if not slightly confused look. But Thomas met his eyes, nodded towards the house and mouthed for his father to go, the man obliged. Because if there was one thing Thomas didn't mess around with, it was James' well being.   
  
"You can't help this James. Stop beating yourself up about it." Thomas turned his eyes back to James, placing a light kiss on the head of the shaking boy. "You are safe, no one is going to hurt. No one is going to hurt you."   
  
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." James repeated, burying his face in Thomas neck, tears running furiously down his cheeks, his breathing speeding up again from the sobbing, his heart racing. And midst at all were those repeated words. "I'm sorry."   
  
"James," It was the worst Thomas had seen his boyfriend in a long time. The last time he was this bad, the last time an attack had caused this much distress was back when they first met. 9th grade, exams were coming up, James had an essay and a project due, so much stress that he just broke. And because Thomas had never been there before, never seen James suffer from his uncontrollable panic attacks, he didn't know what to do. And he was scared. So everything was worse. This time though, he knew what to do. "Love, shh, shhh, stop apologizing okay? You've done nothing wrong."   
  
Thomas smoothed his boyfriend's hair absentmindedly, a gesture to both calm the boy and allow himself to think. There has to be a way to calm James, to stop the boy’s sobs, slow his racing heart, break the stream of apologies. But God what could he do? What else hadn't he done?   
  
He knew the answer of course. All he could do was wait. It could only last so long before it had to end. They just needed to wait it out.   


* * *

It was about ten minutes later when James' breathing started evening out. The tears dried up, his heart returned to a normal rate, the panic attack having finally reached its end. Sniffling, James sat up, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "I'm sorry Thomas."   
  
"For what, my love? You've done nothing wrong." Thomas said, smiling softly do that his boyfriend would know he wasn't upset. He reached out a hand, wiping away a few tears under James' eyes that he missed, making sure to be very gentle on the side with his bruise. "Don't argue with me James. This is not your fault. You can't control it anymore than I can. Please don't beat yourself up over it."   
  
James paused, not sure what to say now that Thomas had cut him off. Because arguing was exactly what he was going to do. The only thing he could say was "Sorry."   
  
Thomas sighed, shaking his head at his boyfriend and his incessant need to apologize, but didn't say anything, instead placing a kiss on James' forehead as he leaned forward to unlock the door and open it. "Are you ready to go inside?"   
  
James nodded slowly, but made no move towards the open door except to turn his head slightly to look out it. Thomas waited a few minutes, giving the boy time to make the first move, before finally realizing that they could be there for hours if he did. So, making sure he had a good grip on James, Thomas slid them both out of the car.   
  
When his feet hit the ground James stumbled, would have fell if it wasn't for Thomas holding him around the waist. Thomas, who was chuckling softly, who had a cheeky grin on his face, but who still looked slightly worried if you stared at his eyes long enough. Thomas who held onto to James tightly until he knew the boy could stand on his own, and then held on longer still.   
  
"Warn me next time you ass." James said finally, his tone light as he pulled away from his boyfriend, a small smile on his face. "I could have fallen and died."   
  
"I had you, didn't I?" Thomas responded, still grinning as he closed the car door, making sure to lock it because he knew if he didn't James would actually kill him. His boyfriend loved Dolley, a lot. If anything happened to her, well Thomas didn't even want to imagine how he'd react.   
  
"The windows are still down Thomas." James informed his boyfriend, taking the keys from his hand and walking over the the drivers side. He had to crank the car back up to roll the windows up, and when he did a head peaked over the backyard fence, followed by a second one a minute later.   
  
"Tommy you're not leaving yet are you?" Elizabeth was Thomas’ third sister, and at age nine was the eldest of his younger sisters. She looked more like their mother, with her soft brown locks framing her face giving her the sweetest look possible. It helped that she also had the sweetest voice possible.   
  
"You just got here." Martha was just a year younger than Elizabeth, but already  taller, something she could thank her father for as he was 6 feet tall himself. Her blonde hair and blue eyes made it clear she was adopted, but if you asked any one of them they would still say it didn't matter.   
  
"Don't worry girls. I just had to roll up the windows." James assured them, turning the car off and climbing back out, windows safely up. "Somebody forgot to."   
  
"Ooooh Tommy's in trouble." The girls giggled together, grinning at their brother who simply rolled his eyes and started walking towards them.   
  
"You're going to be the ones in trouble if I get you first." Thomas warned, climbing over the fence as the girls ran away squealing. James followed him, using the gate like a sensible person would, and watched as his boyfriend chased his sisters, round and round the yard until suddenly the girls were running towards him, laughing their butts off as they hid behind his small frame.   
  
"Protect us from the monster James!" Martha cried, crouching behind the boy the best she could. Because even at 8 she was almost as tall as him   
  
Now James was laughing too, wrapping his arms backwards around the girls as if that would save them. Thomas crept closer, a wide grin on his face.   
  
"Now Thomas, think this through. You don't want to get your sisters do you." On the arm of Elizabeth James was tapping a message, to get reading , in Morse Code. Elizabeth was in turn tapping it out to Martha, who readied herself by standing up slightly. It wasn't until Thomas and James were nose to nose though, that he gave the signal. "Run!"   
  
Several things happened at once. Martha and Elizabeth took off running in separate directions around the yard, the back door flew open to reveal Mrs. Jefferson, and James tackled a distracted Thomas to the ground, straddling him with a smirk of triumph. "I guess you really are the one in trouble."   
  
"Hmm, if this is trouble then I don't think I mind it." Thomas smirked, looking James up and down, causing a blush to cross his boyfriend's face. "In fact, if this is what I get maybe I should be in trouble more often."   
  
"There are kids present Thomas." James scolded, pushing himself off the boy and into a standing position, not bothering to help him up before walking towards where the girls stood talking to Mrs. Jefferson.   
  
"And then James told Elizabeth to get ready to run in Morse Code on her arm, and she told me," Martha was explaining, bouncing slightly as she explained what happened. Making it sound a lot more exciting than it actually was.   
  
"Since when exactly do my sisters know Morse Code?" Thomas asked amused, coming up behind James and resting his head on top of the shorter boys head.   
  
"Uh when did Mary get married again?" James grinned when he saw the look of shock on his boyfriend's face. Six months was not the answer he was expecting. "Aaron and I taught them that night when we were watching them. They were trying to play spy, so I figured I'd give them a really good way to do it."   
  
"I just thought they had gotten good at whispering finally. Huh, makes a lot of sense." Thomas shook his head, looking shocked but pleasantly so. The whole tapping thing the pair had developed made a lot more sense too, now that he thought about it.   
  
"Thomas, your father wanted to speak with you. He's in his office." Mrs. Jefferson said, interrupting the two boys as her daughters ran back off into the yard to play. "He said as soon as you could."   
  
"Mom, you should probably come too. James, will you watch the girls?" Thomas asked, walking in front of his boyfriend so he could see his face, already knowing James was going to try and fight him on this. "I don't want to upset you anymore today. They'll take your mind off of everything."   
  
Of course Thomas had the perfect argument. Of course it made complete sense. Of course. Sighing, James nodded, standing on his toes so he could give Thomas a kiss. "Don't be too long. Please."   
  
"Don't worry love. I'll be back soon." Thomas smiled softly, giving James another kiss before stepping back. Looking to his sisters he added. "You two take care of James, okay? Keep him busy."   
  
"Yes Tommy." The girls responded in unison, each grabbing one of James' hands and dragging him away, towards the back of the yard where they kept their 'secret base.'   
  
"Lucy is just inside in her crib." Thomas added, taking the baby monitor from his mom and chucking it towards James, who somehow managed to catch it. "Good luck with the monsters."   
  
"We're not monsters." Martha protested, though her brother was far out of earshot by that time, her arms crossed in a slight pout.   
  
"He doesn't mean it as a bad thing Martha don't worry." James assured the girl, rolling his eyes in the direction Thomas once was. "It's a term of affection. Means he loves you."   
  
"Just like how he calls you Maddy?" Elizabeth asked, tilting her head sideways with a calculating look, like she was trying to figure something out. "Because he loves you?"   
  
"Obviously Tommy loves him Beth, they're boyfriends." If James thought Elizabeth's comment caught him off guard, it was nothing compared to Martha's. And the girl didn't even seem to notice the effect she had, for she was too busy examining a stuffed bunny to even glance up.     
  
"H-H-How did you, H-How long have you," James stuttered, looking to Martha completely shocked before his eyes traveled to Elizabeth, who was wearing an equally surprised face.   
  
"I saw you two kissing a few weeks ago. Thomas had left his door opened and when I walked past I saw you." Martha replied, shrugging her shoulders, still focused on her bunny. "I figured it was a secret because otherwise Thomas would have told us. So I didn't say anything."   
  
"It was a secret." James confirmed faintly, still trying to recover from the shock that Martha actually knew. And had for almost a month. "Thank you for not telling anyone."   
  
"Mommy always said that you should never tell someone's secret, unless it's hurting them." Martha said, finally looking up at James with innocent eyes. "It wasn't hurting you, was it James?"   
  
"No, it was doing the opposite really. It was protecting me." James bit his lip, glancing down at his bruised arm then towards the house where Thomas had gone. How much could he tell the girls, how much should he tell them?   
  
"Was it protecting you from the person who gave you those bruises?" Elizabeth questioned, drawing James' attention back to her, those her eyes were fixed on his arm. "Was it a bully a school? Did they find out and get angry?"   
  
"Was it our brother?" Martha added tentatively, her eyes wide at even the possibility, and James was quick to answer her.   
  
"No no no. It wasn't Thomas. He's a perfect gentleman, mostly, don't worry. And it wasn't a bully at school, no." He added to Elizabeth, his eyes falling now to the ground as his hands fidgeted in his lap. "It was my father."   
  
"Your father?" Elizabeth asked softly, her voice shaking just slightly. "W-Why would he do that?"   
  
"Let's just say my father is a very bad man." James replied, focusing on keeping his breathing even as he spoke. Trying to fend off another panic attack. "Who hates anyone that is not straight. And who hates me because he saw Thomas and I kissing in the back of my car."   
  
Martha was the first one to hug him, wrapping her arms tightly around his chest, followed by Elizabeth on his other side. Carefully he wrapped an arm around either of them, pulling them tight for a moment until crying through the baby monitor forced him to let go.   
  
"Lucy's awake." James said, standing up and offering a hand to each girl to help them up. He was glad for the distraction, it was the last topic he wanted to spend time talking about with anyone, especially the girls. They were too young to deal with this.   
  
"James, Lucy is napping in the playroom." Martha said, stopping him before he could head upstairs, where Lucy's bedroom was.   
  
"Maybe you should be in charge." James teased, turning around and following Martha down the hallway. Elizabeth was already in the play room by the time they arrived, crouched in front of Lucy's play pen, talking quietly to her. "I think you two girls are more on top of my job than me."   
  
"That's because you’re a single child." Elizabeth smiled, standing up as James walked over to pick up Lucy, following as he carried her over to the changing station. "You get used to after a while."   
  
"Probably a good thing considering there's two more on the way. Are you excited?" James asked, glancing at both of the girls then back to Lucy, who was watching him with wide eyes. "How about you Lucy, you excited to be a big sister?"   
  
Lucy giggled, reaching up towards James as he spoke to her. She was only a year and a half, but already she was a talker. Just like Thomas. "Maddy!"   
  
"Thomas has been teaching you I see." James sighed, shaking his head as he picked up Lucy, balancing her on his good arm. "James. My name is James."   
  
"Maddy!" Lucy repeated, laughing when James huffed frustratedly, shaking his head at her.   
  
"James." He said slowly, staring into her eyes. "J-ames. Come on, I know you can do it."   
  
"No. Maddy!" Lucy protested, crossing her arms and glaring at James. Unamused James turned to Elizabeth, who was laughing quietly at the exchange.   
  
"Your brother is a menace." Elizabeth nodded, a wide grin stretching across her face. James sighed, setting down Lucy as they reach the living room, where Martha now sat watching tv. "Do you girls want a snack now?"   
  
Martha nodded, her eyes not leaving the screen of whatever show she was watching. Lucy showed no sign of even hearing him, too busy playing with the toys by the edge of the couch. And Elizabeth followed him into the kitchen. So a yes from all three of them.   
  
"What do you think 'Lizabeth, what should we give them for a snack?" It wasn't that James didn't have any ideas on what they might be allowed, it was just he figured the girl who actually lived there would know. And he really had no clue.   
  
"Lucy likes goldfish, Martha likes cookies, and I want an apple." Elizabeth told him, walking towards the pantry to grab the first two whilst James got the last. "Can you peel it for me too James?"   
  
"Will you take those to your sisters?" James asked in return, waiting until Elizabeth was out of the room before he started peeling, careful not nick himself whilst doing so.   
  
"Daddy says the skin is good for you, but I don't like it cuz it gets stuck in my teeth." Elizabeth said, taking a seat at the island so she could watch the boy. It was silent for a minute, and then "You're not going to stay with your father, right James?"   
  
"What?" The question had been so out of the blue it genuinely shocked James, made him pause in what he was doing because he had to think about it. Because in the millions of things Elizabeth could bring up, this was the last one he expected.   
  
"He hurt you James, you can't just stay there!" Elizabeth exclaimed, slamming her hand down on the counter with surprising force. "Is that what Thomas is asking Mommy and Daddy about? Because I'll share a room with Martha and you can have my room."   
  
"I'm not staying there, don't worry Elizabeth." James said quickly, hurrying to hush the girl so that she didn't started her sisters in the other room. "Thomas has already taken care of that. I'm staying with Senator Washington."   
  
"Oh. Sorry." Elizabeth apologized, looking slightly embarrassed as her eyes dropped to the counter. "I was just worried is all."   
  
"Don't worry about it. It's a good thing." James smiled, pushing the bowl of apple slices into her view as he took a seat beside her. "Now eat your apple before it gets brown and yucky."   
  
"Yes sir." Elizabeth giggled, giving him a mock salute, a smile back on her face.   
  
"What would you say if we planned a little surprise for Thomas after this?" James asked, lowering his voice into a whisper to add to the idea it was supposed to be a secret.   
  
"Yes!" Elizabeth grinned, nodding her head quickly. "What kind of surprise?"   
  
"A good one." James said, looking around to make sure no one was listening. "Now here's what I was thinking..." 

* * *

The conversation with his parents had lasted a lot longer than Thomas expected, his father wanting to know every detail since yesterday afternoon. His mother had a million questions, and both of them were concerned about where James was to be staying. Then there was the matter of what legal action was to be taken, neither was happy with the answer of none. The worst part though was when he brought up tomorrow, and going to retrieve James things from his house. They weren't happy James was going back, and they certainly weren't happy that Thomas planned to go with him. That fight in it of itself took almost thirty minutes, ended with Thomas almost in tears, and him all but screaming at his parents that he had to go, because he loved James and that his boyfriend needed his help and his support and God couldn't they see that Thomas had to go. He couldn't just let James go into that alone.   
  
A silence had fallen over the room after that, until finally his mother tentatively brought up the subject of 'How long exactly have you two been dating behind our backs' and they moved on like the exchange never happened.   
  
All in all the conversation took well over an hour, and Thomas itching to get back to James. Reasonably he knew his boyfriend could handle his sisters, and on a normal day he probably wouldn't worry, but the last 24 hours had been a mess for them both, so he was rightfully concerned.   
  
He assumed they were downstairs so that’s where he headed, when the sound of giggling made him pause. More specifically, the sound of giggling coming from his room.   
  
"Anybody home?" Thomas asked, knocking on the door instead of barging in. The gasps from inside confirmed his suspicions that this was supposed to be a surprise, and a few seconds later Martha was rushing out of the room, careful not to let him look inside.   
  
"Tommy! You can't go in there yet." Martha said seriously, taking her brothers hand and dragging him down the hallway. "It's a surprise. Stay here until I say so."   
  
She left him just around the corner, marching off before he could give a response. Thomas smiled, shaking his head but listened to his sister, figuring it wouldn't take much longer.   
  
And he was right, not even two minutes later Martha was back to fetch him, insisting his eyes stayed closed until they said so. "Don't open your eyes. Wait, wait."   
  
"Surprise!" Three voices yelled at once, Thomas eyes flying open to see his sisters standing there holding a banner grinning. Behind it stood James holding Lucy, a bouquet of flowers in her hands, looking absolutely adorable and nervous.   
  
"Read the sign!" Elizabeth demanded, bouncing on her feet. Martha was doing the same on the other side, causing the banner to move up and down with them.   
  
"Will you go to prom with me?" Thomas read slowly, both to tease the girls and because it was incredibly hard to read the moving banner. "Aren't you girls a little young to be going to prom?"   
  
"Thomas we're not the ones asking you." Martha said impatiently, falling still so she could send her brother a proper unamused look. "James is."   
  
"Oh, James is, okay. That makes sense." Thomas' voice was light, teasing, as he made his way across the room and over to James. When he was close enough to take Lucy he placed her down on the floor, so that he could hold both of his boyfriend's hands as he spoke. "What made you decide you want to go to prom?"   
  
"I thought we weren't hiding anymore." James responded, looking up at his boyfriend, head tilted just slightly. Wasn't that what they agreed on, to not hide their relationship anymore?   
  
"I don't understand how that translates to us going to prom." Thomas said, his eyebrows scrunching in confusion. "I had no idea you even wanted to go in the first place."   
  
"I know you do. You've kept dropping hints about, ever since they first made the announcement tickets were on sale." James replied, shaking his head smiling lightly at his boyfriend. "And I want you to be happy."   
  
"You really want to go to prom with me?" Thomas asked, pulling James closer, leaning down so their foreheads were pressed together. James nodded, a wide smile crossing Thomas face we he did. "Then yes James. A million times yes."   
  
James laughed softly at how happy he had made Thomas, leaning up to kiss him softly.   
  
"Awwww." Elizabeth and Martha said in unison, causing the boys to pull apart suddenly, James blushing embarrassed and Thomas grinning happily.   
  
"I forgot they were here." James breathed softly to Thomas, trying to step away but unable to for his boyfriend was holding him there tight.   
  
"So did I." Thomas admitted, laughing lightly, giving James a light kiss on his forehead before letting him go of him except for his hand. "Did they help you with this?"   
  
"Lucy and Elizabeth found the flowers, Martha did the writing. I drew the heart." James explained, picking up the flowers Lucy had dropped and handing them to Thomas with a slight grin. "You were supposed to have these, by the way."   
  
"They're beautiful. Thank you." Thomas smiled, taking the flowers on his other. "But you know you didn't have to do all this. I would have said yes no matter what."   
  
"I know. But I wanted to." James smiled, picking out one flower from the bouquet and tucking it behind Thomas ear. "You've done so much for me, I thought it was about time I did something for you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So about Lafayette.  
> At this point in time in his life, Lafayette still identifies as a male. Who just happens to enjoy wearing skirts and/or dresses sometimes.  
> But he is questioning his gender, which is an important aspect of this. Because later on (I can't say when just yet because spoilers), he does figure it out and come out. But that's a story for another time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's like three hours until they need to leave and literally so much to do.   
> Peggy spends most of that time doing makeup, Hercules has a surprise planned, John yells at the tv, and Alexander takes a nap.   
> It's your basic everyday chaos at the Washington household.

Alexander and Lafayette hadn't been working even 30 minutes when Eliza came into the room, all smiles as she told Laf that Hercules needed to see him in the 'fitting room' as John liked to jokingly call it, because it was the room Herc always used to do alterations for the boys and where he would set up shop to get them ready.

Laf was, of course, a little hesitant to leave Alexander alone when it was still so unclear if the boy had had his medicine, but Alex insisted Laf go, that he would be fine. And Eliza promised to watch over him. So with a promise to be back soon, Lafayette left.

Eliza took up Laf's vacated seat on the bed, peering over Alex's shoulder as he typed. "You misspelled Pennsylvania. It should have two n's, not one."

"Fuck." Alex muttered, backspacing to the word and quickly adding in the second n. "Why can I never remember that?"

"It's okay. The same mistake is on the Constitution so I wouldn't feel too bad." Eliza reassured him, backing away from Alex and moving to look at what Lafayette had been doing. "Is this Senator Washington's speech?"

"Yeah, Laf was typing it up." Alex replied, hardly glancing over at Eliza before turning back to the screen. "He didn't get very far, I love him but Laf is a horribly slow typer."

"Do you mind if I take over then? I'm not as great as you, but I can type decently fast." Eliza asked, already pulling Laf's computer onto her lap and arranging the paper so she could see it clearly. "Alex your handwriting is atrocious, you know that right?"

"I've been told. If you can't read it don't bother." Alex sighed, slightly regretting shooing Lafayette off. He really needed the help. "Laf only can because it was how he learned English. John can't read it half the time either, so don't feel too bad."

"No, I can read it. It's just awful." Eliza smiled cheekily when Alex glared briefly at her, finding her place on the document so that she could type. "And I figured I should inform you."

"You're an ass Elizabeth Schuyler." Alex scowled, rolling his eyes and turning back to his own paper.

Eliza laughed, quietly but clearly quite pleased with herself. "So are you Alexander Hamilton. So are you."

* * *

 

Lafayette wasn't sure what exactly to expect when he walked into Herc's room, but it wasn't to be attacked by Peggy. Nor did he expect to have a blindfold shoved roughly over his eyes as she pushed him back out of the room.

"You're supposed to knock before coming in! Don't you know anything about how a surprise works?" Peggy scolded, rolling her eyes even though Laf couldn't see them. "Wait here, we're almost ready. John, watch Laf for a minute."

Peggy disappeared into the room, swinging her still wet hair behind her and showering Lafayette in little dots of water. John was walking up the stairs when Peggy called to him, and paused behind Laf,  placing one cold hand on the boy's neck, cause him to jump and yelp sharply. 

Lafayette's next reaction was to reach blindly in the direction the touch came from, grabbing ahold of the first the he could, in this case John's hand, and use both of his own flip the boy onto the ground in front of his.

Resulting in a loud thud, a pained groan from John, and the door to the fitting room to fly open in a matter of seconds.

"Did someone fall-" Angelica was the one at the door, was in the middle of asking if one of the boys fell down the stairs when she caught sight of John on the floor. And by the guilty look on Laf's still blindfolded face, she had a pretty good guess how he ended up there. The question was why. "Uh, what's going on here exactly?"

"It is all John's fault!" Lafayette said quickly, peering out from behind his blindfold to look at Angelica. "He snuck up on me and my instinct was of course to attack so I did."

"John you idiot." Angelica sighed, rolling her eyes as she helped the boy up, despite part of her wanting to leave him there. He did deserve it after all. "You know what happens when you scare him or Alex."

"I forgot." John said dryly, hissing just slightly when he moved the wrong direction too fast. There was definitely going to be some serious bruising on his his back. "Where did you even learn that move anyways?" 

"Alex taught me. When it was just he and I on the streets, we would spend Saturdays doing self-defense in the park. By the lake." Lafayette smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "He taught it to be second nature and I have not forgotten it yet."

"He took down Hercules when they first met with the same move." Angelica added, smiling herself at the memory. "You don't mess with these boys John. They've got like super hero strength or something when they get scared. And mad reflexes."

"It is the only way to survive out there." Lafayette replied, gesturing vaguely towards the street with one hand as he pulled the blindfold back on. "And it never goes away."

Laf's words caused an awkward silence to fall over the group, neither Angelica nor John knowing exactly what to say. It had been nearly two years, and yet they still had no idea how to react when Laf or Alex spoke like this. So casually about something that was anything but. They had no idea what was appropriate to say and what wasn't.

"Hello? Angelica, John, are you still there?" Lafayette asked after a moment, reaching out awkwardly to see if he could find either of them. "You are being very quiet."

"Yeah we're still here Gilbert, sorry." John said finally, clearing his throat and exchanging a look with Angelica. One they were glad Laf couldn't see, because he would surely take it wrong. The French boy did not take to pity kindly. "Didn't mean to make you worry."

"I am more worried about what is going on with _Alexander_. I do not want him to overwork himself." Lafayette sighed, shifting from foot to foot anxiously. "When is Herc going to be ready? I promised I would be back soon."

"Eliza is with him Laf, don't worry." John assured him, reaching out to place a hand on Lafayette's arm and immediately regretting it as the boy instantly twisted it painfully. "Fuck I really shouldn't touch you."

"Oh mon ami I am so sorry." Lafayette rushed, letting go of John and taking a slight step backwards. "I cannot see so I react without thinking. I do not mean to hurt you, truly."

"Let's just see about getting that blindfold off you huh?" John suggested, rubbing his wrist where Laf had grabbed it, looking towards Angelica who stood closer to the door. "Are they ready in there?"

"Hercules, Lafayette is trying to kill John out here, are you ready yet?" Angelica yelled into the room, looking around the doorway until she caught sight of her sister, looking extremely happy. "Uh Pegs, are you okay?"

"I will be once you send Laf in! Come on, I want to see his reaction." Angelica smiled at her sister, rolling her eyes at the childlike giddiness before stepping back into the hallway. "They're ready." 

John slowly walked over to Lafayette, this stopping a few feet out and extending his hands toward the French boy for him to grab. "Laf, it's John, I'm going to lead you into the room okay. Don't attack me this time."

"Sorry mon ami." Lafayette said weakly, reaching out towards where John's voice had come from until he found him, grabbing onto his hand so that he could lead him into the room. "I truly did not mean to hurt you."

"I know Lafayette, don't worry. It's not your fault." John said, leading Lafayette slowly into the room, careful not to run either of them into anything. "Where do you want him Herc?"

"The pedestal. Be careful, don't trip."  Hercules added to Laf, darting out of his seat when he saw the boy stumble over the step. Thankful John caught him and he managed to steady himself, though a clear look of confusion was on his face. 

"Mon ami what in the world are you planing?" Lafayette asked slowly, feeling a slight panic settle over him as he listened to the others moving around. "John? Hercules?"

"You're going to love this." Hercules promised, a bright smile on his face as he arranged the surprise just right, so that it was the only thing Lafayette would see when he took the blindfold off. "Okay, you can look!"

Lafayette careful removed the blindfold, feeling an instant relief wash over him at being able to see again. He blinked, needing time to adjust to the sudden light before realizing what he seeing. It was a dress, a beautiful dress, sewn with the same pattern as the shirts, the same message in the corner. Only this one had a small French flag on one sleeve, an identification marker of who it belonged to.

Lafayette may have squealed slightly when he saw it. Or, okay well more than slightly, it was a pretty loud scream.

"Do you like it?" Hercules asked, laughing as Lafayette flew off the pedestal and attacked him in a hug. "I take that as a yes."

"Oh Oui Oui Herc! I love it! Thank you thank you thank you." Laf grinned, placing a wet kiss on both of the boy's cheeks before letting go, skipping over to dress excitedly. "But how did you have time to make this?"

"After you fell asleep last night, I left and started working on it. Peggy helped me, I had leftover fabric and your measurements, and I stayed up most of the night sewing it. I'm running mostly off coffee and some of Alex's caffeine pills and like two hours of sleep." Hercules said, a light smile on his face as he watched Lafayette circle the dress with the brightest smile on his face. Laf turned, his eyes impossibly wide as he stared at Hercules almost in awe.

“You stayed up all night? For me?” Lafayette asked, looking from Hercules to the dress then back the Herc, a few tears coming to his eyes as he ran his hand over the material. “Oh mon ami, that is too much. I do not deserve this.”

"Yes you do Laf.” Hercules said, walking over to Lafayette and pulling him into another hug. “If wearing a dress is what makes you feel good, then you should wear a dress.”

“You are too good to me Herc.” Laf shook his head, wiping his eyes as he looked towards the dress. Smiling, Lafayette bit his lip and then asked “Can I put it on now?”

“Please, so this sap fest stops.” Angelica said, rolling her eyes and grabbing John’s arm, dragging the boy from the room. “Come on, let them finish. We’re going to check on Alex and Eliza.”

“Tell _Alexander_ that I will not be back for a while so that he does not worry.” Lafayette called as they left the room, the door swinging shut behind them. It was hardly shut before Peggy clapped her hands once, excitedly, and said to Lafayette

“Come on! Put on your dress so I can do your makeup!”

* * *

Eliza and Alex were both deep in their writing when they heard the scream.

“That was Laf!” Alex cried alarmed, standing up quickly, papers flying, his computer nearly falling to the floor, though even in his panic he managed to catch it and throw it hastily on the bed. "What happened? Where did he say he was going?"

"Alex I'm sure he's fine." Eliza said, setting Lafayette's computer gently beside her before climbing off the bed as well, walking so that she was in front of Alexander. "He's with Herc and Angelica and Peggy and John, I'm sure he's fine."

"What if he's not Eliza! What if he's hurt?" Alex asked, the distress creeping into his voice as he ran a hand roughly through his hair. "I have to find him."

"Alex, did you take your medicine this morning?" Eliza asked, staring into the boy’s eyes concernedly. Behind her back she was typing out a message, an SOS to Angelica to get down here before Alex tried to jump ship. “Just breathe, okay? Lafayette is fine. He’s probably just really excited about his surprise. 

“Surprise?” Instead of calming Alex, Eliza’s words only made him more anxious. He sighed frustratedly, shaking his head. “Eliza, surprises are awful for Laf and I. Even when they’re good, they can be terrifying. He could be freaking out, and they’ll have no idea how to handle him. I have to go find him.”

“You can’t.” Eliza said quickly, grabbing Alex’s arm before he could walk out of the room. “You can’t see Laf until he’s ready.”  
  
"Did you not hear anything I just said? I hate surprises." Alex froze slightly upon hearing Eliza's words, a flash of panic coursing through him. Surprises were a 100% no go with him, didn't they know that? John should, above everyone else, he should know. "I can't do surprises."  
  
"Love," Speaking of John, he had just walked in the room, Angelica hot on his heels. After getting Eliza's text she had practically dragged him from the room the first chance she got, without alerting Lafayette that anything was wrong. "What's wrong? Alex, talk to me."  
  
As soon as he saw John, Alexander had broken from Eliza's grasp, running into the arms of his boyfriend more than slightly freaking out. Between Laf's scream and the prospect of a surprise, on top of the stress he was already feeling from the rally, it was all just too much and he really just needed someone to hold him for a minute. His voice, when he finally did speak, came out almost as a whimper. "Lafayette..."  
  
"Is perfectly fine. He's with Hercules and Peggy right now getting ready." John assured him, running a hand soothingly through the younger boy's hair. "He screamed because he was thrilled about his outfit. Not because he was hurt."  
  
"Are you sure?" Alex asked, his words muffled by his face buried in John's chest, but were clear enough they could at least be halfway understood.  
  
"Love I am 100% positive. He practically tackled Hercules in gratitude when he saw his outfit." John said, moving his hands down to Alex's back so he could rub it gently. "I promise, he was not hurt."  
  
"He actually whipped your boyfriend's butt." Angelica added, smirking slightly as she took a seat on the bed. John groaned loudly and threw her a glare, but that only made her smile a bit more. "John thought it was smart to sneak up on a blindfolded Lafayette. More than once."  
  
"Yes I realize it was stupid." John said quickly, as Alex lifted his head to glare slightly at him, his gaze halfway between unamused and slightly angry. "Don't give me that Alex, he's fine."  
  
"You scared Laf?" Alex asked, his voice hardly above a whisper but still it sounded deadly, angry mixed with upset, a hint of fear wrapped in there as well. "John Laurens you fucking prick, how dare you? You could have sent him into a panic attack John! Then what would you have done?"  
  
"Alexander," Eliza broke in, stepping in between the pair so that she was facing Alex directly. The boy was breathing heavily, his face angry but there was an underlying panic there. The driving force behind this. He wasn't mad at John, not completely, he was just worried about Lafayette. If he hadn't taken his medicine, that would explain why it was so bad. Why he was overreacting so much. "Hey, just listen to me a minute Alex. Was what John did stupid? Hell yes, and he deserved every bit of pain he got in return. But you're overreacting. Lafayette is fine, he took care of himself. Nothing bad happened, so there's no use in getting upset about it."  
  
"Eliza you don't get it." Alex said frustratedly, running a hand through his hair as he started to pace back and forth. "None of you get it, okay? Lafayette and I, things are different for us than they are for you. What you think as a harmless surprise or a little scare, they seriously mess with us. They fuck with our anxiety, makes everything seem worse then it is. He might be fine this time, but you still put a little fear in him. With the blindfold and the touching, you know why he does those moves right? To protect himself when it's not safe. You made him feel not safe in his own home. Do you know how long that could last?"  
  
It was obvious now Alex hadn't taken his medicine like he thought, even the boy himself could tell it as he ranted on without an end in sight. He couldn't control the endless flow of words pouring from his mouth, he knew he was saying more than he should, more than he normally would but they just wouldn't stop. "And then what about the fact he hurt you? You know Laf, he's going to feel incredibly guilty about that. He felt bad about punching a guy that was actually attacking him. And you're a friend, someone he cares about and someone I love, which is even worse because now he might worry about hurting me emotionally because he hurt you. Maybe you distracted him in time, maybe he won't feel too bad, God I hope so because the last thing he needs is to feel guilty."  
  
"Alexander, love, you're working yourself up. You're going to cause yourself a panic attack if you don't stop." John said, approaching Alex slowly, his hands out, palms up. Unthreatening, like one would approach a frightened animal. "Please, just breathe for a minute okay? I'm sorry for what I did to Laf, it was incredibly stupid and I shouldn't have scared him. I forget how much you two have been through sometimes."  
  
"We all do." Angelica added from her spot on the bed, looking first to Eliza, who nodded in agreement, then to Alex, who was now staring at her with a frown, stopped in his tracks by her words and John’s. "You two act as if everything is so normal. Even when the rest of us are off put by it, you two act like its nothing."  
  
"You don't treat your life before the Washington's as anything more than normal, it's easy for us to assume it hasn't hurt you. Easy to forget how much it scared you." The last sentence came out much quieter from Eliza's mouth than the ones before, much more hesitant. Like she was afraid of offending Alex with the words. "Living out there messed you guys up and we don't think about it because we don't have to live with it."  
  
"I'm sorry Alex, we all are." John said softly, taking another step closer so that his boyfriend was in reach, his hands still out as an invitation for Alex to grab them. "I promise, we're going to do better to take care of you two. Treat you like you deserve."  
  
"I don't want your pity John." Alex said shortly, his voice breaking just slightly. His body was shaking ever so slightly, a mixture of anger and fear and pain that was desperate to explode. "Lafayette and I are different, yes, we have scars that will never heal but we manage them. We've come to terms with them. We don't need your pity. We need you to accept us as we are."  
  
Not waiting for someone to speak Alex grabbed his laptop and walked out of the room. The door was opened and closed before John even had a chance to think, Alex far gone down the hallway before he could move.  
  
"That's twice today he's left." Eliza said, coming to John's side as he stared at the door, down the stairs where Alex had just disappeared.  
  
"Yeah well I'm not letting him get away this time." Before Eliza could protest John was following Alexander, down the stairs and out of sight.  
  
"That was either an incredibly smart decision or an incredibly stupid one." Angelica sighed slightly as Eliza walked back into the room and took a seat beside her on the bed.  
  
"With the state Alex was in? I'd say it's probably a smart one. If did no other reason then John can stop him from self destructing." Eliza replied, looking behind her at the mess of papers strewed across the bed, to Laf’s still open laptop. “We could probably help too.”

“We are not going after them Eliza. It’ll overwhelm him.” Angelica told her seriously, rolling her eyes at her younger sister.

“What? No, that's not at all what I was talking about. ” Eliza said, looking back to her sister confused. “I was talking about the protest and these papers. If we can go ahead and get everything thing done, then by the time Alex calms down he won't have much left and he can relax."

"He's not going to relax until this is over." Angelica pointed out, grabbing a handful of the papers and flipping through them. "But it could help decrease his stress just a tad."

"Hopefully. God knows that boy is wound up tighter than an 8 day clock." Eliza sighed, pulling Lafayette's laptop back towards her. She was just about finished with George's speech, was so busy typing it up that she didn't notice the strange look her sister was giving her.

"Eliza what the fuck?" Angelica said, slightly taken aback by her sister's choice in words. "Where did you even hear that?"  
  
"Hmm? Oh, I think I heard Mrs. Washington say it a while back, about the Senator." Eliza replied, not looking up from the computer but blushing slightly at Angelica’s words. “Just seemed appropriate for this situation.”

“Sometimes I forget you’re one of those people.” Angelica rolled her eyes, scanning the information on the papers, typing something on her phone every few seconds. “You pick up literally everything anyone says ever.”

“Somebody has to keep things interesting.” Eliza teased, flipping her hair exactly as Peggy would whenever she said the same thing. The two of them shared a look, bursting into a fit of laughter.

“Oh Peggy.” Angelica said, smiling as their laughter died out, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “She always says the funniest things.”

* * *

“Marquis de Lafayette I swear to god, if you don’t hold still I am going to pour an entire bottle of glitter over your head!” Peggy scolded, as the wiggling boy caused her to smudge the eyeliner she was trying so desperately to apply. Three times she had messed it up now, mostly due to Lafayette’s inability to hold still longer than a few seconds.  
  
"I am sorry Peggy. I am just very excited." Lafayette apologized, looking back at the girl with the brightest smiling, batting his eyelashes sweetly. "I have never worn makeup before. It is exciting."  
  
"You are so precious Lafayette, oh my god." Hercules laughed, messing up Lafayette's hair as he walked past, only laughing harder as the boy frantically slapped his hands away.  
  
"Hercules Mulligan you better plan on fixing that." Peggy muttered, pulling Laf back into the chair after the boy attempted to jump up and chase Hercules. "I will not let messy hair ruin this beautiful outfit."  
  
"Don't worry Pegs, I was going to put it up anyways. It'll look better back, the makeup will be more on show." Hercules assured her, grabbing a stool and taking a seat behind Lafayette, running his hands through his hair. "I mean, eventually anyways."  
  
"Fine, but if he starts moving again I'm going to pour glitter all over you too." Peggy warned, positioning herself so that she could try once again to put the eyeliner on Lafayette. "I'm serious. I have five bottles of glitter in my bag from an art project, I am not afraid to use them."  
  
Both boys had laughed at Peggy's threat, but it faded out when she spoke the second time. "We are sorry Peggy. I will try my best to hold still so you can finish."  
  
"And I'll try not to distract him." Hercules added, running his hands through the boy's hair again as he tried to decide what to do with it. "Too much."  
  
"You two are hopeless." Peggy sighed rolling her eyes, an amused smile on her face despite how exasperated she sounded. "Completely and totally hopeless."

* * *

John found Alex in the kitchen, hidden behind the island. Knees pulled to chest, eyes over wide staring at nothing. His breathing was fast and louder than normal, he was shaking, sweating, crying. In one hand he gripped his pill bottle tightly, the other holding tightly to his arm, nails digging into flesh hard enough to draw blood.  
  
Alex didn't even notice John approaching, didn't even seem to register the boy was in front of him until he spoke.  
  
"Alex, love," All John wanted was to reach out and pull Alex into a hug, hold his shaking form to his until he calmed down. But he knew it wouldn't work. It would make him panic more. So he refrained. When Alex's eyes met his, he started instead to talk again. "I need you to breath for me okay love? Deep breaths, in for 5 seconds, out for 5. Okay?"  
  
Just ever so slightly Alex nodded, focusing himself on John's mouth as it formed the numbers, do his best to force his breathing to follow the pattern. In for 5, out for five. It was working, but not enough. So, after a few minutes, John decided to try a new tactic.  
  
"Good, your breathing is good. Now, Alex I need you to listen to me. You need to focus, okay? Look around, I want you to tell me what you see, okay?" John's voice was soft but firm, and held just the right amount of warmness that Alex felt safe without feeling coddled. His eyes slowly left John, traveling around his surroundings as he tried to get a grip of where he was.  
  
"I-I-I see white, there's a lot of white. The floor, it's cold, smooth. There is brown, brown cabinets behind you, white countertops. I-I can see a window, the sun and the trees." Alex's voice was shaky, rough from the crying, but it got a little stronger the more he spoke. His panic was subsiding, as he came back to reality and back to John, who was watching him ever so concerned. "I-I see a man. With beautiful soft brown eyes, too many freckles to count all over his face. Brown curls falling in his face."  
  
Gently Alex reached up, tucking the fallen piece of hair behind John's ear, his panic fading the longer he stared at his boyfriend. "Hi."  
  
"Hey." John breathed smiling, relieved the boy was finally back with him. That Alex wasn't lost anymore. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Not really." Alex admitted, dropping his hand back to his lap. His right hand still clung tightly to his pill bottle, and it reminded him that he still hasn't taken his medicine. "John, can you get me some water please? I need to take this medicine before I forget again."  
  
"Yeah, of course. And something to clean your arm with. Are you going to be okay if I leave you alone a minute?" John asked, drawing Alex's attention to the cuts on his arm for the first time. They weren't deep, but they stung slightly and were a bright, angry red. John wanted to clean them so that they would not get infected. But Alex was clinging tightly to his hand now, holding him into place so he wouldn't get up. "Alex, love the bathroom is just down the hall. I won't be but a minute, I promise."  
  
"I don't want to be by myself." Alex whimpered pathetically, cursing himself for how needy he sounded. He hated this, hated not being in control, hated having to rely on someone that wasn't himself. "God I sound so stupid, I'm sorry John. I-I'll be fine, just go."  
  
Alexander let go of his boyfriend, curling back in on himself protectively. As soon as John was gone the panic was going to start again, Alex could already feel it rising as if it never left. It never really did, Alex thinks, shutting his eyes tightly as he tried desperately to control his breathing. He could do this, stay calm until John got back, could handle himself. He just needed to breath.  
  
"Oh my love, don't apologize. You can't control this." John said softly, placing a light kiss on Alex's head that the boy instinctively flinched away from. Sighing, John fell back on his heels, both to give his boyfriend some space and so he could think for a minute. He couldn't leave Alex, not in this state. The only way to go was... "Alex maybe it'll be easier if you come with me. So you're not alone."  
  
Alexander didn't speak, but slowly opened his eyes at John's voice, more than a little relieved at the offer. John wasn't going to leave him, he wasn't going to be alone. All he to do was get his legs to work. He could do that. John was offering a hand to help him, and hey look, Alex was standing. But his legs were shaking still, felt weak, like if he moved just slightly they would fail and send him tumbling.  
  
Maybe John was good at reading Alex's face, or maybe he just thought the smaller boy needed the comfort, because just as Alex was going to voice his concerns John was sweeping his boyfriend up in his arms.  
  
"My princess." John giggled as Alex wrapped his arms around his neck, pulling the older boy into a kiss that lasted a few seconds longer then what was probably decent.  
  
"I love you John." Alex whispered when he finally pulled away, resting his head on his boyfriend's shoulder. "I'm sorry for being so much of a bother today."  
  
"You're not a bother my love." John said softly, walking slowly towards the fridge so as not to jostle Alex too much. "I love you too. Which is why you need to take your medicine first."  
  
John quickly placed a water bottle in his pocket, grabbing hold of Alex again with two hands before he dropped him. Alex had placed the pill bottle in one of his own pockets, John checked, and so he headed towards the bathroom deciding it would be much more time efficient to do it all at once.  
  
"Alex I need to set you down now, okay? I want you to take your medicine while I find what I need to patch you up." As John spoke he lowered Alex on to the toilet seat, waiting until his boyfriend reluctantly let him go before backing up slightly. He placed the water bottle firmly in Alex's hand before turning towards the sink, and the first aid kit underneath it. It was packed full of literally just about anything you could need in case of injury, which were quite frequent in a house full of boys. Especially Alexander who was particularly accident prone.  
  
"Can we not go back to Laf's room after this?" Alex asked as he unscrewed the pill bottle, taking out two pills and swallowing them together. "I don't want to deal with the girls right now."  
  
"Of course my love." John replied, digging out the Neosporin before closing the kit. He turned back to Alex, gesturing for the boy to stand up so he could rinse off his arm. As he dried it and got busy applying the cream, he continued. "How about we go to the living room? We can wait there until it's time for us to get dressed. You can finish you stuff, I can watch Chopped. It'll be fun. Relaxing."  
  
"You say that, but twenty minutes from now you're going to be yelling at the tv because you have zero chill watching that show." Alex laughed, wincing slightly when John touched his cuts, but otherwise not outwardly reacting as the boy cleaned them. "But it sounds like a good idea. At least you won't be bored."  
  
"I could never get bored with you around." John said suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows in what Alex assumed was supposed to be a seductive manner but only came off as funny. Playfully Alex shoved him away, both of them laughing as John fell flat on his butt.  
  
"And people say I'm the flirt." Alex grinned rolling his eyes. John just smirked, standing up to wash his hands, throwing a wink to his boyfriend in the mirror.  
  
"You're talking to John Laurens baby. Being a flirt is just who I am. Along with being incredibly handsome, smart, kissable and irresistible."

* * *

Not even ten minutes into the episode, John was yelling at the tv. Alex, who was laying on his back with his head in John's lap, just chuckled amusedly and continued to type.  
  
About five minutes later John's hands found themselves tangled in Alex's hair, eyes on the tv as he absentmindedly played with it, helping both of them to unwind a bit.  
  
It wasn't even ten minutes after that that Alex fell asleep. The normal exhaustion he felt after a panic attack mixed with John's soothing hair playing lolled him into a light sleep. When John got the chance he moved the laptop, turned down the tv, and moved just slightly so that he was more comfortable. His one hand was still intertwined with Alex's hair, afraid that if he moved it Alex would wake up. And his boyfriend really needed this sleep. So bad.  
  
That's why he didn't hesitate to shush whoever it was coming down the stairs, though he was slightly embarrassed when he saw it was George and Martha.  
  
Martha smiled and snapped a picture of the pair before disappearing into the kitchen, but George came over to sit with, taking up residence at the end of Alex's feet.  
  
"How's he holding up?" George asked, looking down at Alex who was smiling just slightly in his sleep. He looked so calm, so happy so peaceful, everything he never was awake. "Angelica said he was upset earlier."  
  
"He was pretty gone when I found him. Panicking, kind of spaced out, he managed to get his arm pretty nicely with his nails." John gestured to the marks, still red but not nearly as much as earlier. "He's okay now though. Sleeping it off I think."  
  
"Good, that's good." George sighed, a little more relieved than he would care to admit. "He doesn't sleep enough. I admit, it's one of the reason I worry about him so much."  
  
"Yeah, no kidding. It doesn't seem possible. I wish I knew how he did it." John said, shaking his head slightly at his boyfriend, staring at Alex as if he could give him answers even though he was asleep. "Was he always like this? Did it just develop? Why? I bet he doesn't even know. A subconscious thing probably."  
  
"Since the day I first met Alex he hardly slept at all." George said, chuckling softly when John jumped. Clearly the boy had forgotten he was here. "Lafayette once told me that for as long as he's known Alex, he had never once slept a full night. Probably a routine he got on after his mother died and just never broke. A survival instinct built into him."  
  
"I wouldn't know. He hardly ever discusses his past with me." John frowned, tracing the scar that ran up the inside of Alex's arm. "I have no idea where this scar even came from. Pretty pathetic right? He's my boyfriend and I don't even know how he got so hurt."  
  
"Alex has been through a lot John. So has Lafayette. And it's hard for them to remember it, to talk about it. It's painful." George explained, trying to remember what the therapist had said to him after the boy's first visit. "They talk about their past as a coping mechanism, but only as much as they feel comfortable with. Only as much as feels safe."

* * *

"Laf! Come on, let's see how you look." Hercules called from one side of the screen, as Lafayette got dressed around the other side. Peggy had finally finished his makeup, Hercules pinned his hair in a cute updo, the only thing left was the dress. And more importantly showing Laf how he looked.  
  
"Uh, Herc? I need your help closing the dress." Laf said, walking out behind the screen slowly. One hand was holding the dress closed behind him, the other hanging gracefully at his side.  
  
"You look stunning!" Peggy exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly as Hercules walked around Laf and zipped him up. "Oh come on come on come on, you have to see yourself."  
  
Peggy was dragging Lafayette towards mirror as soon as Herc got the dress zipped up, causing both boys to laugh at her eagerness. Though Laf's was more of a nervous laughter that faded as soon as he caught sight of himself.  
  
"Don't you dare start crying." Peggy said quickly, seeing the tears building up in Lafayette's eyes. "You will ruin your makeup."  
  
"I-I look like a different person." Laf whispered, his french accent thick as he desperately blinked back the tears so they wouldn’t ruin his makeup. He smoothed his dress, slightly freaking out as he looked himself up and down. When he spun he looked like a maple seed falling from a tree.  
  
Peggy squealed, Hercules laughed, and when Lafayette came to a stop he was smiling broadly. He couldn't explain why, but somehow this felt right. Like it was always meant to be.  
  
"We have to show Alex! Right now!" Peggy was grabbing his arm again, pulling Laf towards the door and down the stairs. As they were going he caught one last glimpse in the mirror, and it made him laugh. He'd worry about why later, but right now he was just going to enjoy this feeling for as long as he could.

* * *

The first place they checked for Alex was Lafayette's bedroom. The boy wasn't there, but Angelica and Eliza were, and their excitement was enough to make the detour well worth it.  
  
After the girls gushed over Laf for a few minutes, Eliza took a billion photos, and Angelica examined every angle of the outfit and makeup before declaring Lafayette absolutely perfect. Finally they calmed down, backed off the boy long enough for Hercules to step in a suggest they go find Alex. Wherever he had gone.  
  
"Yeah but he's asleep though, I don't know if you'll want to wake him just yet." Eliza said, laughing slightly when she saw the way Peggy's shoulders fell. The girl had been so proud to show off her work, being told she had to wait was upsetting.  
  
Luckily Hercules had the perfect way to make her smile again. "Well Pegs, we still have everyone else to get ready. And there's only just over an hour left, you think you're up for the challenge?"  
  
"I thought you'd never ask." Peggy grinned, a slight evil glint in her eyes as she walked towards her sisters.  
  
"What have you done?" Eliza groaned, hiding behind Hercules. Angelica for her part was glaring daggers at him, arms crossed, trying her best to intimidate the boy.  
  
"You are going to fucking pay for this Mulligan."  
  
When Alex woke up 45 minutes later the first thing he noticed was the absence of his boyfriend and more importantly warm pillow. The second thing he noticed when he opened his eyes was his closed laptop, a small stack of papers resting on it. John must have put them there, but when? And where was John anyways? Maybe his leg fell asleep, maybe he was right around here, maybe if he called out "John?"  
  
" _Alexander_ ! Oh mon petit, you scared me!" John wasn't there, but Lafayette was there, sitting cross legged on the couch in a way that Peggy would absolutely yell at him for. He was absently tracing the scar on his leg, lost in his thoughts until Alex spoke.  
  
"Sorry Laf. I didn't realize you were there." Alex apologized, rubbing his eyes sleepily as he sat up, his eyes widening when he finally focused on Lafayette. "Where did you get that dress?"  
  
"Oh, Hercules made it." Lafayette blushed, uncrossing his legs quickly and smoothing out his dress nervously. "He stayed up all night to sew it. Do you like it?"  
  
"It's beautiful, you look gorgeous Laf." Alex said, smiling softly at the French boy as he looked him up and down. His smile faltered slightly when he caught sight of how short it was, and more importantly how clearly he could see Laf's scar. "Do you like it Laf? Are you comfortable in it? Like mentally I mean."  
  
"I, I am unsure." Lafayette replied, smoothing the dress absently again, his eyes following Alex to the scar. "I love the dress, and I love the way I look and feel in it, but..."  
  
"But you're afraid of what people will think of the scar." Alex finished, scooting over on the couch so he could pull Lafayette into a hug, careful not to smudge his makeup or mess up his hair when he did so. "Maybe there's a way we can hide it. Without ruining the dress."  
  
“You think so?" Lafayette asked, biting the inside of his cheek slightly doubtful. Unless he changed and put on pants, was there actually a way to cover up the scar? It was so big and ugly and out there, it wasn’t like it was easy to hide.

* * *

 

“I know so. Come on, let’s see what Google has to say.” Alex smiled again, letting go off Laf and grabbing his phone, pulling up the internet as he did. “I bet you’re not the only one who has this problem. Someone has to have shared their wisdom somewhere.”

Upstairs was literal chaos. 6 teenagers scrambling to get ready in the same room that wasn't that big to begin with was a challenge. Peggy had claimed one corner to do the hair and makeup. Another corner had been set up for changing, the outfits all laid out nearly behind the screen, the right sleeve of each turned up so that the picture there was visible. Each was unique, an identification marker on whose was whose, designed by John and sewed on painstakingly by Hercules.

The rest of the room was scattered with people, with pieces of fabric, Hercules measuring tape has been stretched across the floor at some point when he dropped it and got distracted, occasionally someone would step on a pin that dropped as he rushed around doing last minute adjustments.

The noise was another thing. There was a lot of shouting over each other, instructions on things that needed to get done, Peggy yelling at whomever was in her grasp to hold still. John was sitting atop Herc's work bench, feet pulled under as he waited his turn, telling bad jokes that kept the whole room laughing. Or groaning when they were particularly bad, some were so awful Angelica would hurtle something across the room, more than once she missed, a few times she hit someone else, but it was when she almost hit Peggy that Angelica stopped. Because when she wanted to be, Peg was scary as hell.

It was this scene Washington walked in on, wearing the shirt Hercules had given him (A vine and fig tree, Senator written in cursive below), looking for Alexander and his speech. Though he found neither, the scene in front of him was amusing nonetheless.

John was now standing on the table, his shirt (A turtle standing on an art palette, the name John resting upon its back) halfway on as he scrambled away from Peggy (A spilled tube of lipstick spelling Pegs on top a small mirror), who was trying very hard to get her hands on his hair. And maybe add a little makeup to his face.  

Angelica (Two phones connected by her name, Angie) was cheering Peggy on, Eliza (A giant teddy bear cuddling a heart, sitting atop Eliza) was shaking her head exasperatedly, and Hercules (A needle and thread forming the name Herc) was too busy fixing Aaron's shirt (A stack of books, the top one open with A.Burr resting on it). Aaron himself was busy observing the scene around him, not able to do much else as he waited for Hercules to finish. He was the only one to notice when Washington walked in, saw him from the corner of his eye but pretended not to, diverting his eyes to the scene at hand.

"There is no way I am letting you come anywhere near me with that devil spray." John said, backing away further as Peggy inched closer to him, trying to get in range to pounce. "Last time I let you do my hair it stayed like that for a week. A week, Peggy! Do you know how many people laughed at me? Mostly Alex, but that's not the point!"

"Come on John, that was one time." Peggy protested, huffing loudly when he moved just out of her reach. "I promise it won't happen again. I won't even use the spray, I'll just like put it up or something. Promise.”

“You are not coming anywhere near me devil child.” John said firmly, crossing his arms and glaring down at her from the very edge of the table, back pressed against the wall. “Go find someone else’s hair to ruin.”

“Peggy stop terrorizing John and go get dressed. John, get down from the table and finish getting ready, at least put your hair in a ponytail because I don’t want to hear you whining about it five hours from now when you’re too hot and it’s in your face.” Eliza broke in finally, ushering her pouting sister away and shooing John from the table. Peggy muttered something about how ‘incredibly bossy’ she was being and how she was ‘ruining all the fun’, but shut up the minute Eliza’s head snapped towards her, an unamused look on her face. “What did you just say about me Peggy?”

“I said you were a fuc-”

“Mr. Washington!” Hercules cut Peggy off before she could finish he sentence, his eyes going wide when he saw George standing by the door, watching the group with an amused smile. “What are you doing here sir? Is there something wrong with your shirt?”

“No, no Hercules. The shirt is perfect, you did a wonderful job with it.” George promised, causing a slight blush to cross Herc’s face from the praise, but also a bright smile that made George laugh. “I was actually looking for Alex, I was hoping to be able to go over my essay before the protest. Do any of you know where he is?”

“Last I saw he was asleep on the couch with Laf.” John replied, now fully dressed as he pulled his hair into a tight ponytail. “Your speech is on top of his computer, I printed it off before I came up here.”

“I’ve checked downstairs and didn’t see either of them. Though if Alex woke up there’s no telling where he may have gone.” George said, shaking his head fondly, laughing slightly when Alex sped past him into the room, dragging Lafayette behind him. “Speaking of...”

“Hercules! Tell Lafayette that he looks great and that I’m not just making it up.” Alex stopped directly in front of Herc, pulling Lafayette up beside him, despite the boy’s best attempt to hide behind him.

“ _Mon petit please,_ ” Laf whined softly in French, a blush on his face as he tried desperately not to meet any eyes as they all turned towards him. _“You are making a scene.”_

“Alex is always making a scene Lafayette. It’s literally just part of his personality.” Angelica rolled her eyes, looking Lafayette up and down. "Nice tights by the way. Where'd you get them?"  
  
"They're socks." Alex butted in, scoffing as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And they belong to me."  
  
Under his dress Laf was wearing a pair of burgundy knee high sweater socks, that hardly even reached Lafayette's knees. But they covered the scar, you couldn't even tell it was there, and that was what mattered.  
  
"I've never seen you wear those." Angelica said, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at Alex, like she didn't believe him. Until John butt in that is.  
  
"I have." John wrapped an arm around his boyfriend lovingly, placing a kiss on the shorter boys head smiling. "He owns like twenty pairs I swear. Wears them under everything in the winter, sometimes he even wears them in the summer. It's actually ridiculous."  
  
"I get cold easy! I come from the literal pits of hell in terms of heat, I can't help it." Alex defended himself, blushing slightly though he was too proud to admit it, turning the attention instead back to Lafayette quickly before someone brought it up. "The point is, will you all please tell Lafayette that he looks gorgeous and the socks don't ruin the outfit."  
  
"Lafayette I designed this outfit. Trust me, the socks do not ruin it." Hercules promised, looking the boy up and down before meeting his eyes with a smile. "Really they're more practical anyways, I mean it is pretty cold outside."  
  
"I think they enhance the outfit even." Eliza added sweetly, sharing a look with Angelica and Peggy, both of whom nodded in agreement. "You look amazing Laf, we all think so."  
  
"No one will notice them." Aaron said, with a look that said he was talking about more than just the socks, though he didn't mention it. "They look like they've always belonged."  
  
And finally Lafayette relaxed. Because that is exactly what he needed to hear, that his scar wasn’t visable, wasn’t something everyone would be looking at. It was like it wasn’t even there.

“Right, now that we’ve got that settled.” Hercules said, rolling across the room in his chair to close the door George had left open when he left. “We have 10 minutes until we have to leave.”

And the chaos resumed. Peggy rushed to do her own hair, pulling it up into a halfway decent bun, cursing the entire time that it didn’t look nice enough. Alex scrambled to get dressed, walking out from behind the screen still pulling his long sleeve shirt (An ink pot and quill writing the name A.Ham) over his head, as Eliza yelled for him to hurry up. Shoes were flying around the room as Angelica chucked a pair to everyone that wasn’t already wearing some, the boots she threw at Lafayette almost hit the boy in the face, though he managed to duck just in time, letting out a string of French curses as he did so.

A minute before it was time to leave Eliza was rushing them out the door, down the stairs, and into the entrance hall where George stood waiting for them. He was holding the papers from atop Alex’s laptop, and handed them to the boy when he rushed past, the crew piling into the car just in time. As George pulled from the driveway, the alarm went off. It was go time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uhm, that took a while. Sorry. School has been more then a little crazy as teachers rush to finish everything before exams next week. I didn't help that I was having trouble writing this, and that about halfway through I basically deleted most of it and rewrote the entire chapter. Whoops. It's way longer then I planned though. And it didn't even reach the protest, which we were supposed to by the way. So it's probably just going to be briefly mentioned.  
> Next chapter we'll be back with Thomas and James and (hopefully) we'll be headed back to James' house, where somebody is probably going to get punched or something (I mean, that's not in my plans but let's be honest these characters do what they want). So we'll see how that goes.  
> Also, I'm looking for a beta for this series (Or at least the rest of this story) so if you're interested in getting a first look at my chapters and editing them and stuff, just let me know. I've been having some friends do it, but they don't really have the time anymore. And I make a lot of silly grammar mistakes.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thomas and James take a little break.

Thomas took James out for lunch.    
  
James was shutting down and shutting off after everything that happened today, Thomas knew he needed to get him out and away before things got worse.    
  
So Thomas took James out for lunch.   
  
Down the street to his favorite little family restaurant, the one that was always quiet, so much that when they came here James often had to scold Thomas, remind the younger boy to lower his voice, to stop laughing so loudly. Nobody truly seemed to mind, in fact the waitresses had mentioned several times they found Thomas quite amusing, but it still drew attention and made James blush.    
  
Which was, of course, the reason for Thomas doing it in the first place.    
  
"You're adorable when you're flustered." Thomas would like often remind his boyfriend, the words often followed by a light kiss on the nose or cheek, though occasionally it would result in James kicking Thomas instead, annoyed at his behavior.    
  
"You're a dick." James would respond, sometimes with a smile and sometimes with a pout, rolling his eyes as Thomas would all too dramatically grasp at his chest, as if he had just been greatly offended.    
  
"How dare you!" And so it would go, back and forth they would bicker playfully until the waiter came, pausing to give their orders before getting back into it, stopping only finally when the food came and they moved on to eating and discussing other, more important topics. Or, well at least topics that didn't have them arguing all the time.    
  
Today was different though. Thomas quieted on his own as they entered the restaurant, and once seated in their normal booth they hardly spoke a word other than Thomas quietly reading the menu choices aloud to James, musing on the pros and cons of each dish. James, in another change, sat today curled up beside his boyfriend, head on Thomas's shoulder as he tried to relax, making little noise other than hums in agreement and occasionally sounds of disgust.     
  
"Anyone besides me would not understand half of what you are saying right now." Thomas commented as the waiter who took their order walked off, smiling softly down at his boyfriend, who did little more than raise his eyebrows in a silent question. "Aaron might but that's besides the point, he's Aaron. He's like a genius or some shit."    
  
James snorted at his boyfriend's elegant way with words, placing a light kiss on Thomas’ shoulder immediately after so he'd know he was only joking and wasn't making fun of him in the slightest.    
  
"You're taking a nap after this." Thomas said finally, biting his lip to stop the smile when he got exactly the response he expected. One raised eyebrow and a 'Who the fuck do you think you are?' look as James drew away from him slightly, arms crossed.   
  
"Or at least you're going to lay with me as I take mine. Because you need to relax for a while and I am exhausted." Thomas amended, pulling James back to him to place a slight wet kiss on his cheek. "I spent more time last night worried about you than sleeping."    
  
James made a disgusted face as soon as Thomas kissed him, but it soften as the boy continued, a wave of guilt washing over him.    
  
"It's not your fault love." Thomas replied gently, when James lowered his eyes embarrassed and gently kissed Thomas's shoulder again in apology. "There was a lot on my mind I needed to sort through anyways."    
  
James frowned, tilting his head at his boyfriend, asking silently if he wanted to talk about it. James grabbed Thomas's hand, squeezing it twice to add that he was there for him. He wasn't alone.    
  
"It was mostly just stuff like how we were going to tell my parents and what my sisters would think." Thomas shrugged, squeezing James's hand once in return before bringing it to his lip, placing a light kiss on it. "And I was distracted by how beautiful you look when you're asleep. Especially when you started sleep talking. I love hearing the things you are too scared to say out loud."   
  
James blushed, letting out a slight whine of embarrassment as he hid his face in his boyfriend's shoulder, and by extension his massive amount of hair.    
  
Thomas kissed James's head softly, laughing as he did. "Don't be embarrassed my love. It was quite adorable. We had a very nice conversation. Well, until someone tried to turn things a different way."   
  
James let out another whine, pushing away from Thomas blushing furiously. Backed against the wall, James pulled his legs to his chest, wrapping his arms, averting his gaze down because he didn't want to see that look in Thomas's eyes.    
  
"Oh I'm only teasing love." Thomas laughed, nudging James in the side. Smirking when James looked up, he added "Though you know I love when you talk dirty to me."    
  
James's face grew impossibly redder, and before Thomas even had time to react, the boy was pushing him out of the booth, and onto the floor with a loud thump.    
  
"Ow! James, what was that for?" Thomas whined, looking over the side of the seat, still on the floor as James simply stuck his tongue out in response, motioning that Thomas deserved it. "Are you going to push me off if I try to sit down again?"   
  
James shrugged, 'maybe', but the mischievous glint in his eye gave Thomas another answer 'yes'. Thomas huffed, clearly debating his options as James watched looking more amused by the minute. 'Comfy?' His face seemed to tease, a small smile playing in his lips.    
  
"You are so lucky I love you." Thomas sighed finally, heaving himself off the floor and back into the booth beside James, who was still smiling, though more widely this time.    
  
Waiting until Thomas was safely back in the booth and distracted, James leaned over suddenly, kissing him lightly on the cheek. When Thomas turned his head to look at James, the boy placed another kiss on his lips, whispering against them "I love you too."    
  
Thomas smiled, pulling James closer to him so that he had a better advantage to kiss the boy, forgetting for a moment they were in a restaurant, and hardly out. "And I am so lucky for that."   
  
James seemed to at least have some decency, and pulled away from Thomas blushing again before they were caught, sliding back over to his side of the booth. Thomas pouted, brightening only slightly when it caused James to laugh, but his boyfriend firmly refused to move back over so they could kiss some more.   
  
And perhaps that was for the best, because a few minutes later the waiter was bringing them their food, smirking slightly when he noticed the still present blush on James's face, and when the boy wasn't looking he gave Thomas a thumbs up and a 'It's about time' grin before walking off.    
  
"Did he just...?" Thomas trailed off, watching as their waiter disappeared behind the doors, looking between them and James, who hadn't noticed the exchange and was now watching his boyfriend curiously. "You know what, I don't want to know."    
  
James rolled his eyes, deciding that Thomas was just being weird as usual, and turned back to his food. It was something Thomas ordered, honestly he had no idea exactly what it was or how good it would be, but it smelled nice. And his boyfriend usually had pretty good taste, even if he only ever ordered pasta (Mac and cheese usually) when they went out.    
  
Which speaking of....   
  
"Don't give me that look James. There is nothing shameful about a perfectly good bowl of mac and cheese, especially when it has bacon in it." Thomas defended himself, noticing the unamused stare James was giving him and his bowl. "Stop being so judgmental, geez."    
  
James hummed but looked away, a slight smile on his face. Thomas was a dork, and a cheesy one at that in every sense of the word, but then again James wouldn't have it any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops it's been a long time. Sorry.   
> So this is short, but I wanted to have at least one chapter that was cute and fluffy for them, so I ended it here.   
> Next chapter will probably be the final chapter, it's probably going to be a bit tense because well, it's time we meet James's dad.   
> And poor Aaron is going to be left at the house by himself, waiting. Well, him and Martha. Maybe he can finally find some peace but I doubt it.   
> Anyways, I can't say for sure when it will be up, but I'm shooting for before the end of the month. No promises though.


End file.
